Recently, I ventured back to Asia for the summer, and since there are quite some stackers curious about the good practices when it comes to crossing International borders: #146039 #426711 #64784, sharing some of my setups here, maybe it could be useful for fellow Bitcoiners:)
1. Low-key is the Key
First things first, the best way to protect anything is to avoid even attracting any attention. Seriously, I don't understand why people bring their well-known hardware wallets and seed plates to the airports, where cameras are EVERYWHERE, or even wear big logo BTC t-shirts...
The best way to protect yourself is to blend in with the crowd, and ideally, everything you carry doesn't even show a sign of Bitcoin; let's be real: Bitcoin is money, so why would you show off your money in public? Thus, the best way to protect your corn is not even showing it, e.g., you should NEVER keep your seeds the way even the naked eye of strangers can easily understand them.
Here are some of the simple solutions to protect the seeds:
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Write a poet or story with the seeds ( optionally leave 2-3 words out, and mix with other methods)
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Build your cold wallet with TailsOS and store the seeds with built-in KeePassXC
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Make it into half or three pieces, and put it in different places: it can be digital, meat place, or a mix of both.
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Use your memory.
Always do backups.Also, apply different methods for different sizes of stash and use different levels of energy to protect them; Be creative, but always keep it simple! and make it in a way that only you can "decode" it even if it's lying out in the open.
2. The Art of Subtle Settings
Since most of us use phone or laptop to engage with Bitcoin, here are some of the setups that I tested and learned:
π± Phone
I use Slient link ( data only ) with Mullvad VPN, both paid in LN, and this combo has been working really well so far. The most tricky part on the phone is the LN wallets due to the channels closing and reopening all costs sats, not to mention need to do the seeds back up again; here are the solutions I found, and I guess it depends on the risk level of the destinations or how paranoid you are:
For the careful ones
- Set your phone in a language that the locals can't understand.
- Remove all Bitcoin-related wallets from home screen.
- Purposely make your phone dead when crossing the border.
For the paranoid ones
- Close all LN channels, delete ALL Bitcoin-related apps even with a factory reset, and download some normies apps.
- Simply keep your phone at home and bring a dummy phone for travel.
However, there's a new feature coming in Blixt v0.7.0 that you won't need to close all channels for the migration, and that would make the deletion less painful, looking forward to testing it.
π» Laptop
Since I work online, the laptop is a way of production for me, so I developed a habit of wiping it from time to time to make sure I'm backing up EVERYTHING as mentioned here; Also, whenever before long trips, I always double-check my backups then left it somewhere safe, and I carry an extra encrypted drive with everything I need for daily functions.
βπ½ Level Up
- Use Veracrypt to encrypt the important data and unlock it once you are back in a normal environment.
- Use TailsOS, and keep the data in the encrypted persistent storage.
3. Learn How to Defense
However, in case you are being pulled out and asked to be searched, you need to prepare yourself in advance, e.g., how to ask the right Qs, not giving your consent etc, here is one of the good places to learn more.
Also, one reminder is that once you are well protected your Bitcoin ( if you haven't done this step yet, go back to 1 ), NO ONE can take it away from you, this is something really powerful once you understand it.
Spending
The ideal way to travel is using Bitcoin and exchanging local currency without any KYC, but of course, the best is spending in sats directly; Once you cross the border, you can either use Sparrow or even Blue Wallet ( if you are on the go without a laptop ), all you need is to put back the seeds, and done; also, nice to prepare some small emergency funds so that you don't need to touch your savings; And ideally, you swap the sats into Lightning and spend from there.
And see more here on how to exchange local currency, I assume this is easier in where you are based or live; it can be tricky when you are traveling somewhere for a short time, but here is some of the solutions : exchange with local friends ( the BEST ) -> try to meet Bitcoiners in local Bitcoin cafes or events -> Bitcoin ATM if available, and not with huge fee -> non-KYC exchanges.
At the same time, try to see where you can spend in sats, or even pilling as you go.
βοΈ Flights
One of the options to pay in sats is to use travala. Still, I'm a bit reluctant to give away my details to any third parties, so I usually book directly with the airline, and I'm using a specific fiat card for it. π I actually don't want to link the fiat name with a "paid in BTC" tag; I often see people use the visa card to covert their sats into fiat, why not select the specific ones to spend with fiat and slowly switch them in the process? and don't forget to book your flight with a VPN.
Some paid in sats alternatives shared by stackers: travala | tapjets ; However I haven't try them out yet, feel free to share your experience:)
π Accommodations
I usually use Airbnb, and I would try to pill the hosts if I decide to extend or come back again, I normally use Blink to keep things simple; In places where Airbnb is not available, or if I can't find any good options, then I try to find hotels in Maps and pay in cash, some places even give you discounts if you pay in cash.
Some paid in sats alternatives shared by stackers: travala | airbtc ; However I haven't try them out yet, feel free to share your experience:)
π΄Food
I prefer trying out local restaurants whenever I'm traveling, especially those small family restaurants, honest and fair prices with real local taste, and are generally quite pleasant. One more hack is once you found a good one, try to ask for recommendations and go from there:) locals know the best.
I prefer paying food in cash, and I usually buy directly from local farmers if I'm based somewhere longer, and pill the restaurants that I go to all the time, you can look around in BTCmap to see where you can pay in sats, but pilling the ones you love is the best! No need to be afraid or feel awkward, you are not going to lose anything with a simple ask, but the upside is unlimited.
Good places to look around: BTCmap | farmfood , but you can always pill the ones you like like I did: I , II , III
π€ Bonus: Other Nomad Hacks
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Always carry some
cash, cash is still king. -
Avoid going to places full of influencers and classic tourists if you want to have a more authentic experience.
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Use a carry-on bag only for short distant trips, which is massively saving time.
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Make sure you have the right adapter for all your electrical equipment.
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Bring your own (Turkish) towel instead of using whatever is being offered; not only it's lightweight and dry fast, but it does not even take up much space!
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Bring a scarf with you, not only can it be used when it's cold and when visiting certain religious or holy places to cover yourself, but it can also be used as a fashion item.
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Learn some basic words about the place where you are going, which not only shows some respect but also locals would be so much nicer to you.
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Order things in advance to the place where you will be staying.
- Private: It's not your real address, and no need to use your fiat name; ideally, you even pay for the products in sats.
- Time-saving: no need to wait for your delivery anymore, it might be already there before you arrive.
( would you like to learn more hacks? )
Digital life
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Always do backups before any travels and encrypt it with Veracrypt.
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Slient link + Mullvad VPN = Internet without borders.
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Sms4sats for some of the unimportant Apps' one-time verification.
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Deep L for translation.
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Mapsme for offline map.
Related good posts
That's all for now, looking forward to learning more hacks from fellow stackers! π